Black-tailed Godwit (Limosalimosa)

Taxonomy

French:Barge à queue noireGerman:UferschnepfeSpanish:Aguja colinegra

Taxonomy:

Scolopax Limosa

Linnaeus

, 1758,

Sweden

.

Closely related to L. haemastica, and previously considered conspecific. Race melanuroides recently considered probably a separate species#R but, apart from notably smaller size, differences appear to be minor and vocalizations similar; furthermore, genetic distances between the two found to be very small#R. Three subspecies recognized.

News on this species

Across Iceland, volcanic eruptions and vast sandy areas periodically release high volumes of dust of volcanic origin over much of the country. Dust enhances fertility both by increasing organic content and by buffering soil pH. A study based on surveys of breeding bird abundance at 729 locations throughout lowland Iceland has shown that the abundance of waders, which are the dominant group of terrestrial birds there, was strongly related to variation in the rate of volcanic dust deposition and on average showed a threefold difference between the lowest and highest deposition classes in wet and dry habitats#R.